Lyrics for 32 Flavors as interpreted by aur0ra

32 Flavors Lyrics
Squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am thirty-two flavors and then some
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
So you might want to turn your head
Because someday you're going to get hungry
And eat most of the words you just said

Both my parents taught me about goodwill
And I have done well by their names
Just the kindness I've lavished on strangers
Is more than I can explain
Still there's many who've turned out their porch lights
Just so I would think they were not home
And hid in the dark of their windows
Until I'd passed and left them alone

And God help you if you are an ugly girl
Course too pretty is also your doom
Because everyone harbors a secret hatred
For the prettiest girl in the room
And God help you if you are a phoenix
And you dare to rise up from the ash
A thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
While you are just flying past

I'm not trying to give my life meaning
By demeaning you
And I would like to state for the record
I did everything that I could do
I'm not saying that I'm a saint
I just don't want to live that way
No, I will never be a saint
But I will always say

Squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am thirty-two flavors and then some
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
So you might want to turn your head
Because someday you might find you're starving
And eating all of the words you said

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  • 38 Comments
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ArtsyChick
03-10-2002

Rated -2 
Alana Davis sings this song...But we can pretend it's Ani DiFranco...

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aur0ra
04-13-2002

Rated +1 
No, Alana Davir coveree this song and added a chorus aod took Cections"out. It&s Ani's"original.

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Jackie1228
04-24-2002

Rated 0 
I love the metaphors in this song...she's genius!

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Flick
05-22-2002

Rated 0 
i really like this song, i can really relate to it

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brilliant disguise
05-31-2002

Rated 0 
this is such a quality song, ani is so real with her lyrics, very enjoyable

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sakebox
06-07-2002

Rated 0 
ani is great.....I think this song is about self-respect, as many of her songs are.

A woman is a complex creature, and she goes on to highlight her complexities (including her charity/goodwill)

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swindler123
06-19-2002

Rated 0 
aw. shes such a little folk-punk! i luv it!!!! shes got a beautiful voice and the lyrics are really true.

imbue ur blue!

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Hecate
09-04-2002

Rated 0 
I love Ani, this song means a lot with each verse, at least that's how I see it. I often sing it when I think of my ex fiance.

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crush_madden
03-16-2003

Rated 0 
i don't really kno much about ani difranco, but i think this is such an uplifting song...she seems like a strong woman who doesn't care what others think..in fact she takes it a step further and tells them so...she knos who she is and knows she's worthy :)
it's a good song for women to listen to to be motivated

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sound_of_silence
04-01-2003

Rated 0 
"cause someday you're going to get hungry
and eat most of the words you just said"

This is what she says at the beginning. (the end of the 1st verse)

"cause someday you might find you're starving
and eating all of the words you said"

This is how it's changed at the end of the song. In the beginning you'll only be hungry and eat most of the words but you'll end up starving and eating all of them: after you've seen all the things women can do. They are not perfect; they have their flaws as we all do. Men and women are not the same. The differences that seperate us make for a wholesome, beautiful, natural contrast.

I just wanted to point out what the point of the song is to me and I wholeheartedly agree.

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ForeverInADay416
04-02-2003

Rated 0 
There are certain lines in this poem that are just so perfect and beautifully written that it is overwhelming. I sit here, in awe and ponder the inspiration that could have sparked such creative lyrics.

*and god help you if you are a phoenix
and you dare to rise up from the ash
a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
while you are just flying past*

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crimson_melody
05-01-2004

Rated 0 
This is one of my favorite Ani songs. It's so intelligent and well thought out. I love the third verse.

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bitchgoddess
06-06-2004

Rated 0 
Ani tells the truth as she sees it in her songs, she is so honest and I often find myself nodding and thinking I agree I agree.
This song is about the life that she lives.
You might think you know a person, but you don't, there are more layers and flavours than you'll ever get to see. the best you can do is celebrate the layers and flavours that make you unique, and just assept that there will be many times you will not be understood.
My favourite verse is the third verse as well... There have been times when it has made me cry.

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Lici
10-13-2004

Rated 0 
This is the first song i ever heard by Ani Difranco and i loved it from the very first listen! I can relate to some of the words and i think that it's cleverly written, as are all of Ani's songs. I love the way it's so evident that Ani is just trying to express who she is through every song. This song is saying that there are so many different levels to a person and each person is individual. We are all unique and we all have our own 'flavours' or layers. I'm not sure why it's specifically '32 flavours' but i guess Ani knows. It's a great song.

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clairebaby
10-26-2004

Rated 0 
i love ani. all her lyrics are amazing, and she made it into the music world purely with her talent.

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shannondoah
01-03-2005

Rated 0 
i just adore this song.
love the metaphors.
i think it speaks for itself.

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ophelia52
01-30-2005

Rated 0 
Baskin Robbins has 32 flavors, right? Or is it 31?
I agree with many others that the metaphors in this song are pure genius. :)

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bleedingmaskarah
03-31-2005

Rated 0 
artsy chick- YOU ARE AN IDIOT. THIS IS AN ANI DIFRANCO SONG. GET YOUR FACE OUT OF KAZAA. wow, i dont know why, but that really upset me....

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rash_decision
04-08-2005

Rated 0 
Theres not much to say about the song it speaks for itself-brilliant! I love the line 'i'm not saying that i'm a saint i just don't want to live that way',so perfect.

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Pop_Tartz_609
10-20-2005

Rated 0 
Accually, oddly enough, this song came across diffirently to me.
I think it's about being rejected by someone you really loved. And now you're kind of invisible to them.

"squint your eyes and look closer
i'm not between you and your ambition
i am a poster girl with no poster"
"and i'm beyond your peripheral vision"

But you're not going to puch them to care. You just lay back and say, "Hey you're loss. You're missing out on all the layers of my personality. And you know that someday they'll want you, but you won't care anymore by then.

"so you might want to turn your head
cause someday you're going to get hungry
and eat most of the words you just said."

BUT you're still going to be yourself and change for no one, and still be nice to the people who decide to miss out on you.

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StrangeOutOfContext
02-06-2006

Rated 0 
"and god help you if you are an ugly girl
course too pretty is also your doom
cause everyone harbors a secret hatred
for the prettiest girl in the room
and god help you if you are a phoenix
and you dare to rise up from the ash
a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
while you are just flying past"


I saw that as women being their own worst enemy. That, maybe, if we stopped competing with eachother then we would learn so much more. Since we're all so different....and strong.

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Sayna
05-30-2006

Rated 0 
In response to StrangeOutOfContext:

That is EXACTLY the interpretation of those lines I read in a book called "Odd Girl Out" I was thrilled that they quoted her.

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xjenix
06-24-2006

Rated 0 
I love this song
it was the first song i heard by ani difranco, and its still my favourite.
i can listen to it on repeat non-stop for hours.
AMAZING!
(appologies for the spelling)

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copperboom
07-05-2006

Rated 0 
This song contains some of the most brillient lyrics I have ever heard. It is truely a masterpiece.

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copperboom
07-05-2006

Rated 0 
Um, yes Baskin has 31. And it is definitely a reference to them.

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